By Mallory Mattingly
Former NFL tight end Benjamin Watson and several other NFL players sent a letter to high-level U.S. officials to take a stand against the persecution Christians in Nigeria are facing.
“I’m proud to stand with over 60 other current and former NFL players as we send an urgent appeal to the president the United States, as well as other congressional leaders,” Watson said in a video shared on his Instagram. “Right now in the country of Nigeria, brothers and sisters are facing unchecked religious and ethnic persecution. People are being removed from their homes, kidnapped and murdered on a daily basis, and we believe that more can be done.”
“Our letter outlines specific steps that our government can take, including expanding humanitarian aid as well as holding perpetrators accountable, so that our brothers and sisters on the other side of the world, and know that we are standing with them and that we are fighting for them,” the former NFL star continued. “Scripture tells us about standing for justice and about protecting the vulnerable. We believe that we have a biblical mandate to do so. Justice isn’t just a word that we throw around or an idea. Justice is a way of life. Justice is also action.”
Related: Former NFL Star Benjamin Watson on Pro-Life Advocacy: ‘Voice for the Voiceless’
Watson and the 60 other players sent a letter to President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“Religious and ethnic persecution in Nigeria has reached a level that demands immediate, concrete action from the United States,” part of the letter read. “As current and former NFL players who care deeply about justice — here in America and around the world — we are grieved and outraged by the mounting violence, and we write to urge you to act now to confront religious persecution in Nigeria and ensure that those responsible are held to account.”
“As the most populous country in Africa and largest African diaspora population in the U.S., Nigeria is a key partner for American economic, cultural, and regional security interests,” it continued. “The NFL is also full of many players who come from Nigerian families. This wonderful country is a strategically important democracy and a nation of extraordinary beauty, rich culture, and resilient people. Yet for years, Nigerians of all faiths have endured relentless attacks, kidnappings, and killings by extremist groups and criminal networks exploiting ethnic and religious divides. This ongoing brutality not only devastates families and churches but also undermines regional stability and U.S. security and humanitarian interests.”
Watson was joined by other NFL players such as:
TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots; C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans; Jenna & Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers; Jameis Winston, New York Giants; Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons; Hunter Henry, New England Patriot; and many more joined Watson in his pursuit of justice for believers in Nigeria.
Continue to keep the persecuted Christians in Nigeria and around the world in your prayers.
Read Next: Patriots Rookie Signals Support for Persecuted Christians from the Field
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